Furniture



Nov. 2, 1948. l.. P. coME FURNITURE Filed April 24, 1945 4 A HM lll INVENTOR LeonwcIP Conua BY 44M 4 v ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 2, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT `OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in furniture and particularly toy furniture, the principal object of the invention being to provide an article of unitary structure which, by positional manipulation of its elements, is capable of serving several purposes.

A special object of the invention is to provide a unitary structure having rigid and pivoted elements so associated as to permit manipula'- tion thereof to form a bed frame, a table and chair combination, or 4a rockable cradle.

lA further object of the invention is to' provide a device of the character above set forth, having enicient and easily operable means for positively locking the elements in position for use either as a bed frame or as a table and chair combination. y

A. still further object is to provide elements, which form the rockers of this piece o-f lfurniture, of such construction as to permit the change, from bedirame to cradle, or vice versa,v to be made readily and t o be retained in the proper position in either case. n l n A still further object is to provide an attractiveupec'e of convertible furniture, theeleinents of which are inseparable in their` normal operation thereby preventing loss or misplacement of the parts. v Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

n In the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, is illustrated an embodiment of the invention, in which drawings similar reference characters designate corresponding parts, and in which lFigure l-is a perspective View of the device, y

showing same fully opened out into position to formabed. u

Figure 2 is a sectional. View, taken approxi'- mately through the longitudinal center line of Figure l, the dotted lines indicating the position of the parts when shifted to form a table and chair combination.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary front view of the inside face of the lower portion of one of the end members, showing the rocker member in its operative position. y

Referring to the drawings, the article illustrated comprises a pair of end plates or boards I and 2, both of which, when the article is to be used as a bed, are in verticalposition and iorm the headboard and footboard, respectively of the bed, as shown inrfull lines in the drawings, both of said boards being cut away at the center yside members.

portion of their lower edges to form legs or feet 3 and 4, respectively.

Secured to the headboard I and extending at right angles' thereto are a pair of elongated side vmembers 5 and 6, and a cross member 'I, the latter extending in a horizontal plane and permanently secured to the headboard, and to said The member 2 is disposed between the ends of the side members 5 and B remote from the member I, and secured to said member 2 is a member vli extending at right angles therefrom so that when in the bed-forming position shown in the drawing, the member 8 extends to within a comparatively short distance from the end edge of the member l and forms with said member the bottom of the bed.

In order to strengthen the mutual support of the member 8 and the `member 2, a block 9 is secured to both of said members at the angle formed at their intersection. The member 8 is pivotally connected at the opposite side edges to the side members 5 and 6 as shown at I0 so that it 4may be swung into vertical position between said side members, as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 2, said member 8 being cut away at the center portion of its free edge to form legs II V whereon it rests when in Vertical position. r11o/limit the vertical swinging movement of said member 8, a stop or cleat I2 is secured so as yto protrude from the inner surface of each of the sidey members 5 and 6, against which stops rthe member 3 abuts and comes to rest in a vertical position.

To limit the downward swinging movement of said member 8f a stop 22 is secured so as to protrude from the inner surface of each of the side members 5 and 6, against which stop the member 8 abuts when in a horizontal position.

ln order to maintain the members 2 and B positively against displacement in both their vertical and horizontal-positions, a locking device I3is pivoted at I4 on each of the side members 5 and 6. Said locking device may take the form of a lever as I3, or be formed of wire in an :appropriate shape. If a lever is used for said locking device I3, each of said levers is loosely related to pivot I I and has at its free end a knobbed non-removable slide pin i5 adapted to passthrough perforations IS and Il so disposed inthe side members 5 and 6 that when the member 8 is in horizontal position the slide pins I5, passing through the perforations I'I, will engage the top surface of the said member v thereby preventing upward movement of said member and retaining said member 8 in abutting relation to the stop 22, and the entire structure in the bed-forming position shown in full lines in the drawing. Likewise, when the member 8 is swung into the vertical position shown in dotted lines in Figure 2, the slide pins, extending through the perforations I 6, engage the surface of said member opposite from the stops or cleats I2 and thus maintain the member 8 in abutting relation to said cleats, while retaining the entire structure in the table and chair forming position.

It is believed that the operation of the device so far will be clear from the foregoing, taken in connection with the drawing. Briefly stated, when the article is to be used as a bed, the members 2 and 8 are swung on their pivots I0 into the full line position shown, and the slide pins I5 carried by the locking devices I3 are pushed through the openings I'I, thereby engaging the member 8 and maintaining it in the bed-forming position and in abutting relation tothe stop 22.

After the bed has served its purpose, the members 2 and 8 are swung on their pivots I0 into the dotted line position shown in Figure 2, and the slide pins I5 of the locking device pushed through perforations I6 into engagement with the member 8, thereby retaining said member in abutting relation with the stops I2. In this position the member 2 forms a table supported on the legs II formed as a part of the member 8, while the members I and 'I form respectively the back and seat of a chair disposed in such relation to the table 2 that one may sit on the chair while using the table for any desired purpose.

In addition to the features above described, there is provided means whereby the structure may readily be converted into a rockable cradle or crib, which means comprises a pair of rocker members I8, one pivoted at its opposite ends on the inside face of the member I immediately above the legs 3 thereof, and the other similarly pivoted on the inside face of the member 2, as ndicated at I9. The said rocker members are preferably formed of heavy wire or tubing, and arcshaped throughout the major portion of their length, the end portions thereof between said arcshaped portions and the pivotal connections being bent to form a shoulder or seat adapted to lie under and support the legs of the members I and 2 when the rocker members are in their operative position, as shown in Figure 3, in which position the structure can be rocked from side to side. After the rocking operation the structure may be re-converted into a stationary bed by swinging the rockers upwardly on their pivots into abutting relation with the members I and 2 below the bed, as indicated in Figures 1 and 2.

In order to maintain the rocker members in both operative and inoperative positions, the pintle portions I9 thereof are bent at an angle slightly greater than a right-angle to the adjoining vertical portions 2 I, it having been found that an angle of 95 is sufficient. By this means, when swinging from operative to inoperative positions, and vice-versa, the pintle portions I9 will be forced into a relationship about 90 with the adjoining portions 2I, where positioned at rightangles to the supporting legs of the end members, so that a certain amount of manual pressure is required to overcome the resistance thus created and carry the rocker members past the center of their swinging movement. In this way the rocker members, after being adjusted to one position or the other, are prevented from accidentally returning to their alternate position. In order that additional rigidity of the rocker members I8 may be maintained in the operative position, the offsets or shoulders 2i] are provided in such a manner that the point of contact, between the rocker and the floor, is vertically at an angle in relation to the pintle portions I9, thereby permitting of gravitational resistance to displacement from said operative position.

It will be evident from the foregoing that there is herein provided an article of furniture which, while it is entirely practical for use in homes where owing to lack of space, it is desirable to have an article capable of conversion to serve more than one purpose, it is particularly well adapted for use as a toy by children playing with dolls, since the child mother may rst rock her doll baby to sleep and then, by merely turning the rockers into inoperative position, convert the cradle or crib into a stationary bed.

After the doll baby has had sufficient sleep, the foot end of the crib can readily be thrown upward and fastened b-y the side pins as described, so as to form a table in front of the chair formed by the head portion of the bed, so that the now aroused sleeper can partake of food placed on the table.

The operation of changing from rocker to bed, to table-chair combination and vice-versa is eX- tremely simple and can readily be accomplished by a child of ordinary intelligence without the use of tools. Moreover, there are no loose or unconned parts to become lost, and at each conversion the parts are securely locked in their proper relative positions.

It is to be understood that many mechanical changes may be made in the structure as herein shown, as well as in the materials from which it is made, without departing from the scope of the invention, as set forth in the claims hereto appended.

I-Iaving thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A convertible article of furniture, comprising a frame having members forming a vertically disposed back and side members and a horizontalllr disposed seat member secured between said back and side members, a member pivoted in said frame between said side members in normally complementary relation to said seat member, and an end member secured to said pivoted member at right-angles thereto, said end member being normally in vertical position and co-operating with the side and back members to enclose a rectangular space, said seat member and pivoted member co-operating to form a bottom to said space, said pivoted member being movable in such a manner as to carry and support said end member in a horizontal position in front of said back and seat members 2. A convertible article of furniture, comprising a vertically disposed member normally forming a headboard, members secured to said headboard member and normally forming side frames for a bed, a horizontally disposed member rigidly secured to said headboard and between said side frame members and normally forming part of a bed bottom, a member pivoted between said side members and normally disposed in horizontal position in complementary relation to said rigid horizontal member, and an end member secured to said pivoted member and normally disposed in a Vertical position to form the footboard of a bed, said pivoted member being swingable on its pivots in such a manner as to carry and support said end member in a horizontal position to form with said end member a table in such juxtaposie tion to said vertical headboard and horizontal bed bottom forming members whereby said members form a chair in front of said table and said side members form arm rests for said chair.

3. A convertible article of furniture, comprising a vertically disposed member normally forming a headboard, members secured to said headboard member and normally forming side frame-s for a bed, a horizontally disposed member rigidly secured to said headboard end between said side frame members and normally forming part of a bed bottom, a member pvoted between said side members and normally disposed in a horizontal position in complementary relation to said rigid horizontal member, an end member secured to said pivoted member and normally di-sposed in a Vertical position to form the footboard of a bed, said pivoted member being swingable on its pivots to carry and support said end member in a horizontal position to form a table in juxtaposition to said vertical headboard and horizontal bed bottom forming members whereby said members form a chair and said side members form arm rests for said chair, and means for locking the members against displacement in either of their adjusted positions.

LEONARD P. COME.

REFEREN CES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 277,637 Warner May 15, 1883 462,430 Feron Nov. 3, 1891 913,032 McGaw Feb. 23, 1909 974,065 Javins Oct. 25, 1910 1,051,237 Keith Jan. 21, 1913 1,252,713 Meisner Jan. 8, 1918 1,437,941 Hoover Dec. 5, 1922 FOREIGN PATENTS Number l Country Date 11,764 Italy Oct. 30, 1880 41,201 Netherlands July 15, 1937 91,852 Germany June 10, 1897 256,677 Germany Feb. 19, 1913 

